Plate-glass-annealing apparatus.



No. 707,834. Patented Aug. 26, I902.

H. L. mXou.

PLATE GLASS ANNEALING APPARATUS (Application filed May 6, 1901.)

QNO Model.) I 2 Sheets- Sheet l.

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" No. 707,834. Patented Aug. 26, I902.

H. L. DIXON.

PLATE GLASS ANNEALINGAPPARATUS.

(Application filed May 6, 1901.)

2Sheets- Sheet 2 N0 Model.)

wmuzsss's lNVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. DIXON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATE-GLASS-ANNEALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,834, dated August 26, 1902.

Application filed May 6, 1901. Serial No. 58,870. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY L. DIXON, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Plate-Glass-Annealing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming'part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing the successive annealing-chambers and the transfer-chamber. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, of the leer on the line II II of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of the transfer mechanism.

My invention relates to the annealing of plate glass, and more particularly to the mechanism for transferring the glass from the floor of a cooling-chamber to the bars of the leer.

In the drawings, 2, 3, and at represent annealing-chambers, through which the plate is transferred in a zigzag path, these furnaces being maintained at successively lower temperatures. From the chamber 4 the plate is transferred to a series of tiles 5, which are spaced apart to receive transfer-bars 6, arranged to lift the plate from the tiles and deposit it upon the movable bars 7 of the leer 8, which may be of any desired form. The transfer-bars are supported upon two series of rollers 9, carried in bearings at the outer ends of lever-arms 10, secured to rock-shafts 11, extending transversely beneath the tiles. The projecting ends of the shafts are provided with toothed wheels 12, engaging a pinion 13, which drives them and the shafts simultaneously to rock them in either direction. The transfer-bars are preferably made of T form, with their-central webs seated in grooves of the rollers, so that the bars are held in proper position and kept in parallelism during their movements. The front set of rollers 14: for supporting the movable bars of the leer are located in front of the tiles 5, and the transfer-bars are carried up' and forwardly with their ends in front of these supports for the leer-bars, as shown in Fig. 3,to carry the plate forwardly into the leer, so that a part of it is beyond the supports for the movable leerbars. The means for operating the leer-bars is of the ordinary construction well known in this art.

In operating the system the plate is moved through the cooling-chambers in the usual manner and is then taken from the third chamber and deposited upon the tiles, the transfer-bars at this time resting in the recesses or slots between the tiles, with their upper faces substantially flush therewith.

The shafts 11 are then rocked upwardly into' the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus lifting the plate, and the movable leerbars are then slid forward, so that their front end portions are between the lower face of the glass and the tiles from which it was lifted and intermediate of the transfer-bars 6. The shafts are then further rocked until the transfer-bars are lowered and carried rearwardly into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8, thus depositing the plate upon the movable leer-bars. These leenbars are then pulled rearwardly to deposit the glass upon the stationary leer-bars in front of the transfer-bars, which are then swung back to their normal position. These operations are repeated, the plates traveling through the leer in the same manner as glass sheets through the ordinary window-glass rod-leer.

The advantages of my inventionfiow from the use of the transfer mechanism which lifts the glass plate and carries it rearwardly, so that at least a part of it is over and beyond the rear leer-bar supports. I have found in practice that where the glass is only lifted vertically from the tiles and the leer-bars are then shoved back under the plate the weight of this heavy glass plate will bend down these rear overhanging portions of the movable leer-bars and cause them to sag, so that when the bars arepulled forward the glass will be broken by reason of this bending and the consequent uneven supporting of the plate. This trouble is overcome by my improved transfer mechanism, which not only lifts the plate, but carries it forward, so that a part of the plate is beyond the leer-bar supports. In

the form shown about a third of the length of the sheet is in front of these supports when it is deposited upon the movable leer-bars, and the additional Weight of the rear portion is not sufficient to bend the bars. The plates are therefore not broken in drawing them forward.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the transfer mechanism without departing from my invention, since floor or platform in front of the leer, and transfer mechanism arranged to lift the glass plate from the floor or platform and carry it rearwardly to a point over the bar-supports; substantially as described.

8. The combination with a leer, of a tile floor or platform in front of it, and having transfer-bars therein,and rock-arms arranged to lift the bars and plate and carry them rearwardly over the front supports for the leerbars; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY L. DIXON.

Witnesses:

H. M. OoRWIN, G. B. BLEMING. 

